Safety means for hand bags or the like



1' J. P. WILLIAMS SAFETY MEANS FOR HAND BAGS OR THE LIKE Sept. 20

Filed Jan. 24, 1924 p Patented seer. 20, 1927.

"rem.

JOHN P. WILLIAMS, OF NEW-YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO DUPLEX ELECTRIC COMPANY, i V OENEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE. I

.- SAFETY MEANS FOR HANDBAGS OR THE LIKE.

I Application filed January 24, 1924. Serial No. 688,258.

This inventionrelates to safety means for hand bags or the like, and it has particular relation to an improved means for protect-.

ing hand bags,ior simliar receptacles for con- 6 taining and carrying valuables, agamst loss by inadvertence or by an attempted attack to grasp the bag or receptacle fromthe hand of the user or to remove such bags or receptacles fromthe person of theuser. To these ends myinvention comprises 1 safetyemeans' wherebythe hand bagor recepta cle, when in, use and carried in the handor on the person, will be directly anchored, orattached and securedin connec tion to the arm of the user.

.In' the drawings Figure 1 is a .perspective view of a hand bag havingone form of safety means as comprised in my invention. I

Fig. 2 is an edge View of the construction shown in Fig. 1, and illustrating the control of the opening of-the bag by the safety means, the open position being shown in dotted lines.

:Fig. 3 is -a perspective view of another form-f the safety means, as adapted for and carried by heavy bags.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the samereference characters.

Referring to the drawings, 14 designates a'bag or receptaelefor carrying valuables, which may be of any usual or adapted construction and of any type in common vogue or use, such as a ladys hand bag or purse,- heavy, messengers bag, brief-case, travelling I bag, or the like. Y

15 designates a braeeletmember, as comprised in my improved safety means, which constitutes the anchoring or attaching device which is secured in connection with the wrist or arm of the user. This bracelet member may be of any usual or adapted construction, such as a ring-bracelet surrounding and worn upon theforearm, as shown in Fig. 1, or a wristlet consisting of a band of leather or pliable material strapped or otherwise secured around the arm of the user, as indicated in Fig. 3.

A flexible connecting member, 16, extends between the bracelet member 15 and the bag or receptacle 14, and is of desired longitudinal extent, according to the circumstances and conditions of use, and of any suitable or adapted construction. I have herein shown the connecting member as consisting of a chain, either in a single length (asin Fig. 3), or a split length (as in Fig. 1) afiording two terminal ends, as at 1717, for connection to the bag 14.

Connection means, indicated at 18 are provided between one terminal end of the connecting member 16 and the bracelet member 15, and such means may be of any suitable or adapted construction for fastening the connecting member 16 either detachably or permanently to the bracelet member. I have shown sun! connection means 18, inFig. 1, as consisting of a snap-hook carried at the end of the flexible connecting member and dctachably engaging an eye or ring, 19, fixed to the bracelet member, while in Fig. 3 such connection means isshown as a ring, 20, carried at the end of the flexible connecting 'member and detachably engaging a snaphook 18 carried upon one of the securing 7 straps of the wristlet bracelet member 15. It will be understood thatthe connection of the flexible member 16 with the'bracelet member 15 may be atany suitable or adapt- 8 ed part of the latter;

Connection means, indicated at 21, are also provided between the othen terminal end of the flexible connecting member 16 and the bag or receptacle 14, and such means may likewise be of any suitable or adapted construction for fastening the connecting member 16 either detachably or permanently to any part of the bag 14. I have herein shown such connection means 21 as consist: ing of a snap-hook carried at the end of the flexible connecting member and detachably engaging an eye or ring, 22, carried by the bag or receptacle 14.

In the type of construction illustrated in Fig. 1, with a split length of the connecting member 16, the respective terminal split lengths of such member have their connection 21 at opposite sides of the opening or mouth of the bag 14, so that the connecting member'operates to retain the opening of the bag closed. Thus, should the bag be dropped from the hand, the gravity Weight of the bag operating in conjunction with such opposite mouth connections of the flexible suspending member 16 will retain the bag closed against accidental opening.

A slide-ring, 23, may be mounted upon the split portion of the connecting member 16 to tighten the same in operative action just attractiveadjunct to the usual bag by conabovedescribed or to control the spread of the split portlon as desired, and in assocla- "tion With the connection means 18 and 21 at It will be understood that the bag or receptacle 14 may be provided with the usual handle, 25, for carriage in the hand in the usual or normal manner independent of the safety means as comprised in my invention.

The ope 'ation and advantages of my invention will be readily understood. In practies, the bracelet member 15 mounted and retained upon the arm or Wrist and the flexible connecting member it extends as a free length betiv'een the bracelet and the bag or receptacle and in secure connection with both the bag and bracelet, leaving the bag free to becarried in the hand in the usual manner. The operative conditions thus preclude the inadvertent laying down of the bag and leaving the same unprotected, as it is in attached connection to the person of the wearer; or the accidental dropping of the bag, as it Will be retained suspended and in connection with the person of the wearer by the safety means, in the event that the hand-hold upon the bag is released; or should an attempt be made to grasp the bag and tear it from the hand, the safety means is operative to not only securely retain-the bag in its attached connection with the person of the user but also to signal the attack by the pull upon the arm.

In conditions of use With large bags and a strong Wristlet member 1'5 and heavy con necting member 16, such as bags carried by bank messengers or others for the transportation of securities or currency, my invention affords. a safe and effective means to prevent or retard successful burglarous attack, and in the case of ladies hand-bags the improved safety means can be made an struction in the type of the jewellers art.

Under some conditions of use, Where the protected bag or receptacle is carried in the pocket or within the clothing of the r user, the connecting member 16 may be worn to extend from the arm or bracelet member 15 up within and through the sleeve of the clothing to the bag or receptacle, thus 7 concealing the safety means and protected status. i c

I do not desire to be understood as limit-- ing myself to the detail features of construction and arrangement as herein shown and d cribed, as it is manifest that variations and modification therein may be resorted to, in the adap ation of my invention to varying conditions of use, Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and improvements. Itherefore reserve the right to all such variations and modifications as oroperly fall Withinthe-scope of my invention and the terms of the foll'owingclaim'.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim and desire to secureby Letters Pat'- ent: r

A saf ty means of a class described, com prising securing member for attachment to Y the person of the user, a flexible connecting member extending longitudinally from said securing iii-ember and having plural lengths, K Enection means between the initial end of said connecting member and said securing member, detachable connection means respectively carried at the terminal ends of the plural Lengths of said connecting member for detachable attachment to opposite sides of the spread or hinge mouth opening of hand bag or receptacle, and means for'bringing together the plural lengths of said connecting member, whereby the connecting mei'nber Will be operative in attachment to lock the mouth of the bag or receptacle against opening accidentally or under gravity action.

In testimony vvhereof foregoing specification.

JOHN P. WILLIAMs.

I have signed the v 

